Window blind structure



June 5, 1956 c, A/CHENIER WINDOW BLIND STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet FiledMay 8, 1953 E 4/ Bu v w W 0 E Mm a m e E h i i T 3 O a a m I a MINVENTOR ATTORNEY June 5, 1956 c. A. CHENIER 2,743,350

WINDOW BLIND STRUCTURE Filed May 8, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mvsm'oreCHARLES RCHENIEK BY ATTORNEY United States Patentfifiice fatented June5, 1956 WINDOW BLIND STRUCTURE Charles A. Chenier, Ottawa, Ontario,Canada Application May 8, 1953, Serial No. 353,734

'4 Claims. (Cl. '1'60 -1l8) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in window blinds.

Briefly, the present invention is designed to provide a convenient andpractical window blind structure which may easily and readily be movedto closed or open position over a window, cupboard, or other likeclosable open ings.

It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to provide adevice of this character wherein a series of connected slats may bemoved to collapsed or expanded position over a window or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein the connected slats are arranged in a vertical planeand are movable in a horizontal plane.

A further object ofthe present invention is to provide a device of thischaracter wherein the slats forming the blind are foldably connected inoverlapping relationship one with another.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a deviceof this character which may be easily and quickly mounted upon orremoved from existing curtain rods.

Still another and further object of the present invention is to providea device of this character wherein a valance forms part of the windowblind when in folded or partly expanded or partly folded positions.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a device ofthis character which may be moved to any desired expanded or foldedposition over a window and wherein the innermost slats of opposed setsof curtains or blinds may be releasably connected together when theblind is in a closed position.

Having regard to the foregoing and other objects and advantages whichwill become apparent as the description proceeds and the details becomeknown, the invention consists essentially in the novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter described in detail and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of an embodiment of the presentinvention showing the blinds constructed in two separate sections withone section in open and the other in closed position respectively.

Fig. 2 is a front elcvational view similar to that illustrated in Fig. lwith the folded and expanded valance section connecting the opposedcurtain forming sections.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of Fig. l with opposite sections of theslats shown in expanded and partly folded or collapsed positions.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the center portions of Fig. 2 withvalance.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of a slat member shown indetached form.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged elevational view of a fragmentary portion of thefoldably connected slats.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional plan view showing a pair of slatsconnected by a ring or link.

form in cross section.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view showing the means for releasablyconnecting the inner slats when the blind is in expanded to windowcovering position.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged elevational view of a slat member in detachedform with modified form of link or ring connecting perforations.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevational view of a section of the modifiedform of slats foldably connected one to another, and

Fig. 12 shows a modified form of mounting of the blind members.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings wherein the present inventionis disclosed and where like numerals of reference designatecorresponding parts in the various illustrations, the numeral 15designates the window blind as a whole which, in the present instance,and for purposes of illustration, is shown as being composed of a pairof window blinds 16 and 17 which may, if desired, include a valance 18.The window blinds or curtains, it will be observed, are foldably andexpandably supported in a vertical plane by a horizontally disposedcurtain suspension or supporting rod 19. The curtain rod 19 isdetachably connected to any well known type of supporting bracket 2%)which in turn is secured to Window frame 21.

Each section of window blinds is composed of a series of slat members 23which may be fabricated from metal, plastic or other suitable materialpreferably .in arcuate As more particularly illustrated in Figs. 1, 2,3, 4, 6 and 7, the slats are connected one to another by means of ringor link members 24. The link or ring connections between the slats, itis observed, are sufiiciently loose to enable the slats to be folded oneupon the other without stress, when in collapsed or expanded form.

As exemplified in the various illustrations, the upper end of each slatmember is formed with a relatively large opening 25 which enables theslat members to be movably mounted on the curtain support rod 19 inwindow blind form. Arranged on opposed sides of each slat member belowthe head thereof are a series of spaced single and double orifices 26and 27 respectively. The orifices 26, it will be noted, are arrangedadjacent the slat edge and provide a ring or link engaging section 28while the double orifices 27 are disposed inwardly of the slat edge andprovide an intermediate ring engaging section 29 inwardly of the edge.

By this novel arrangement of slat orifices and ring engageable sections,the slat members may be connected one to the other by the ring or loopmembers in alternately overlapped relationship and by such connectionstwo important results are accomplished. First, the overlap with thenovel disposition 'of the connecting means prevents the edges of theslat members from becoming jammed or locked during folding or expandingmovement and second, when the blinds are .in expanded position, one slatoverlaps the other and forms a positive and continuous closure cover fora window or other opening.

in the modified form shown in Figs. 10 and 11, an orifice 27a arrangedinwardly of the slat edge with a notch 27b, may be substituted for thedual orifices 27.

When the window blinds are moved to window covering positions, theopposite sections may be releasably locked to one another. The means forreleasably locking the sections may take any practical form and in thepresent instance I illustrate the marginal edges of the innermost slatsbeing formed with oppositely inturned and out turned portions of arcuateor semi-circular form as indicated at 30 and 31 for releasableengagement one with the other as shown in Fig. 9. In addition to theforegoing and to facilitate drawing opposed curtains or blinds towardeach other or releasing the locked sections, each slat is formed with anelongated protruding fold 32 spaced inwardly from the edges to providehand grips 33. and 34. This type of lock and handle may extendlongitudinally throughout the length of the innermost slats or a lesserdistance and thus not only lends a more pleasing appearance to thewindow blinds, but affords a convenient means for releasably locking thesections one to another.

Where it is so desired, pairs or numbers of pairs or sets of windowblinds may be provided with the valance 18. As illustrated in Figs. 2and 4, the valance, as in common practice, extends above and below thecurtain support 19 and is foldably and expandably connected to the innerends of the opposed sections 16 and 17 of the window blinds in the samemanner that the slats of the main blinds are overlappingly connected oneto another.

As shown in Fig. 2, the two innermost slat members 36 and 37 are shorterin length than the slats of the main sections 16 and 17 and are spacedslightly from the lower ends of the valance. This arrangement permitsthe main blinds to be folded or expanded without interfering with thefolding or expansion movement of the valance.

From what has thus far been described, it will be seen that when themain blinds are in folded position, the section 18 expands to form thevalance between the main blind sections. Conversely, when the main blindsections are expanded, the valance forming slats are folded between suchmain sections. The valance forming slats are connected one to another byrings or the like 38 in the same manner as the main blind section, withthe outer slats thereof being connected to the second innermost slats ofthe main sections by means of rings or the like 40.

Releasable connecting means and hand gripping means similar to thoseprovided for the innermost slats 36 and 37, are also provided for theblinds which include a valance. Thus blind sections may be used with orwithout a valance as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In the modified form of suspension means shown in Fig. 12, therelatively large opening is dispensed with and a small opening 42substituted therefor. Mounted in this opening is a slat hook ring 43,the hook being detachably engageable with the ring 44 connecting rollers45, the rollers being movable on well known track structure 46.

In operation, the slat forming blind members are first collapsed orfolded to align the series of orifices or openings 25 when the detachedcurtain support rod 19 is simply slipped through the openings. When thisoperation is complete, the curtain rod with blind sections is connectedto the supporting brackets on opposite sides of the window frame. Wheretrack support means are employed, hooks 43 are connected to roller rings44. The slats forming the blinds are now arranged in a vertical planeand are movable in a horizontal plane to or fro to folded or expandedposition to be free of or to extend over the window as a covering blind,as desired. Should it become desirable or necessary to clean or wash theblind sections, the rod 19 is simply released from its bracket supportsand the slat members slipped off the rod after which they may be washedor otherwise cleaned. Where the track type is concerned, hook members 43are simply released from the roller rings.

Where the blinds are provided with a valance, the blinds are folded orexpanded in exactly the same manner as the sections without a valance.The folding operation of the valance however differs from that of theblinds for the reason that when the blind sections are folded thevalance sections are expanded and when the blind sections are expanded,the valance sections are folded.

Many changes may be made in the above and many apparently widelydifierent embodiments constructed without departing from the spirit orthe essential characteristics of the invention. It is intended thereforethat the present disclosure be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimitative sense.

What I claim is:

l. In window blind structure extendable over windows or openings, aseries of vertically supportable horizontally movable relatively longslat members arranged in window blind forming sections, a series ofrelatively short slat members connected intermediate the relatively longslat members to form a valance between the blind forming sections, meansfor connecting the window blind forming sections and the valance formingsections to one another in overlapped relationship comprising a seriesof spaced loop members connecting the edges of one slat member tointermediate body portions of the next succeeding slat member forfoldably and expandably connecting the blind forming sections and thevalance forming sections to one another.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the blind sections are eachprovided with lock engaging means for releasably locking the blindsections together when in blind closing position.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the blind sections are eachprovided with handle means for moving the said blind sections forwardand backward to closed and open positions.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein one slat member is retainedsubstantially in continuous contact with the next succeeding slat memberand the said blind sections are provided with lock engaging means on themarginal edges thereof for releasably locking the said sections togetherin closed position and handle means for moving the said sections forwardand backward to closed and open positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS489,482 Jessup Ian. 10, 1893 770,827 Sexton Sept. 27, 1904 803,618Mumford Nov. 7, 1905 1,567,239 Capell Dec. 29, 1925

